Shifting apparatus



J. J. WOLF SHIFTING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov 15 1921 I/VI/EIVTOR 7 JOHN J. 1 20b] WITNESSES A TTOR/VEYS J. J. WOLF SHIFTING APPARATUS Jan. 1, 1924 Filed Nov. I5. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNlfE/VTOR JOHN J; WOLF WITNESSES ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 1, 1924.

UNITED STATES JOHN JACOB WOLF, or noonron, NEW JERSEY. I

SHIFTING APPARATUS.

Application filed November-15, 1921.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that 1, JOHN J. WoLr, a citi-' zen of the United States, and a resident of Boonton, in the county of Morris and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Shifting Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear; and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in shifting apparatus primarily designed for shifting railway cars.

The general object of the invention is the provision of eflicient and durable apparatus for the shifting of loads which may be provided in conjunction with roads of all kinds without interfering with traffic.

A further object is the provision of apparatus which may be used for removing a car or other load from a line of traffic, making the work of shifting the cars, so as to place the car or load at the unloading platform, unnecessary.

This object is accomplished by providing means that maybe projected under the car or load and associated with means for lifting the latter from its support and then moved in a horizontal plane carrying the car or load therewith into position at the unloading platform.

These and other objects of the invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is atop plan view of the apparatus;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus;

Figure 3 is a section along the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Referring to the abovementioned drawings, the shifting apparatus is shown in conjunction with a roller track 10 and a loading and unloading platform 11. The apparatus consists of a plurality of runways 12 in which the beams 13 are mounted. These runways 12 are provided with rollers 14 on which the beams 13 travel. These beams are preferably made from anumber of I-beams fixed together by means of plates. Located on the lower flange of each beam is a rack 15 with which the. pinions 16 mounted on the shaft 17 mesh. A pulley 18 is fixed to the shaft 17 and driven by the electric motor 19 which is connected thereto through a pulley 20 carried on the motor shaft and a belt 21. A source of elec- Serial No. 515,232.

trical energy is connected to the motor by means of the line 22, and the supply of cur rent to the motor. is controlled by a switch 23. The apparatus so far described is located underneath the loading or unloading platform. Openings 24 are provided in the front wall of the platform and the beams 13 may be projected throu h these openings.

Located beneath the rai way track are a plurality of jacks 25; a 'ack bein provided for each beam. A plurality of rollers'50 are carried by each jack 25 to allow the beams.

13 to be drawn across the top of the jack.

Mounted on each jack shaft is a gear26,.

and a chain belt 27 is provided to connect the said gears so that they willall be driven at the same speed. Ashaft 28 which carries a gear 29 and a bevel gear 30 is mounted between a pair of jacks in such a position that the gear 29 engages the chain belt- 27.

The shaft 28 is driven by means of a motor 31 through a shaft 32 and a bevel gear 33 carried thereby and meshing with the -'bevel gear 30. The motor 31 is connected to the line 22 by means of a switch 49 located beneath the platform 11. A wheel 34 carried by a shaft 35 is located between the runs of the chain belt 27 and in alinement with the gear 29 so as to cause a positive engagement between the chain belt and said gear.

Associated with each beam 13 is a supporting post 36. These posts are carried by foundations 37 mounted between the railway track and the platform. Each post is loosely connected to the beam with which it is associated by means of a hook 38 so that 7 as the beam is moved u or down the'post will also be moved. Rol ers 39 are mounted on the posts 36 and interposed between the posts and beams. Guides 40are carried by the beams to retain them in engagement with the rollers 39. Blocks 41 supported on the foundations 37 have openings 42 therethrough, in which the posts. 36 slide. Slots 43 are provided in each post and springoontrolled bolts 44 slidably'mounted in the blocks 41 engage in the slots to retain the posts in the different positions to which they are moved. Solenoids 45 are provided in conjunction with each bolt and are energized by means of a. switch 46 which serves to connect them to the line 22. These sole- A car comprising a'car box 47 and atruck 48 is fshovv n positioned over'ithe beams 13 and 'jaeks'25.

The operation of this device is as follows:

When it is desired Ito move aicar from a line of cars at a particular loading platform, the car is moved to position in front of the loading platform. The motor 19 is then operated by means of svvitc'h23'to project the beams ,13. outward over the jacks 25 and ,underneath theIearbEiX 47, The switch 46 is then closed, energizing the solenoids '45 to v'vithdraw' thelbelts lt from the slots l3 in the;posts.36. "Then theisvvitch49is closed to set thefmotorf31 in operation. The motor 31fsoper'ates-the jacksj25'through aseries of gears and Qchainbelt, raising the beams 15 .in'to en agement with ithe car truck 4:8, lifting Yitc' earlof the track 10. Switch d6 .is then ppened, releasing the spring-controlled boltsht l which @enga'gejin the slots 43 serving toflock the posts 36 in their raised positions, atthe same time. the switch .49 is opened or reversed thus:stopping the operation of the acks orirevers ing .the direction of operation so .thatthe jacks are returned to their %nor- :mal position,"sho,Wn.in Figure 2, .SWitchQES is then operated tofdraW .the beams 13 in- Ward, .carryingosthe fear 130x47 into position beside the platform. 'flhelineof cars may then be :moved in either direction to posiitionlanothercar.

":IYWo uld, tateiin conclusion that While the -illustrated example constitutes a practical @embodi mentofmy invention 1 do not'limit linyself {strictly to the exact details herein ,illustrated since manifestly the same can be considerably yaried ivithout departing from the spirit ofvthe invention .as defined in the appended claims.

Claims: 7 p v A transfer apparatus for shifting loads, comprising load receiving members, wmeans for-moving the load receiving members,.me ans,,over which the loadmay be positioned,forraising the load receiving membersto=1iftthe load, and means for supportthe, load receiving members after they have been vvithdravvn from the raising means, said supp.ort1ng ,means permlttlng movement of @the load receiving members thereon, v

2. A transfer apparatus for shifting loads, comprising zrunways, load ,receiving members movably ;-mounted in the ma ways,.means for operating-the load receiving \members to lift .the load, means for supporting the .loadreceiving members when they have been operated to lift the load, and

means for the load receiving members a mov-ementto shift'thel'load.

3. A transfer apparatus for shifting "loads, comprising load ireeeiving .members,

a stationary support for the loadreceiving ,members, means (for raising the load receiving members when they have "been posia stationary support for the load receiving members, means for giving the load receiving members a movement on said stat-ionary support, means'for raising the load receiving members whenpositioned for'receiving the load, and means for supporting the load receiving members at different levels when released by said raisingineans.

5. A transfer apparatus for loads, comprising load receiving 'rn'embers, asupport for said load receivingmeinbers, means for moving the load receiving members relative to the support, means for raising the load receiving members when positioned to receive the load, and meansfor supporting :the load receiving members in their raised positions W'henreleased by said raising means.

shifting I 6. In a'load, transferapparatuslinchiding V a plurality of'load receiving members and means for raising said'load receiving members to .lift the load, means .for'fsupporting the load receiving I members at ,di'fierent levels 'When released by I'said raising means,

comprising a plurality of supporting'rnembers to project :them =over and .vvithdraw them fromthe lifting unit,.and means for supporting said lead receiving members when not in engagement with the lifting unit, sald supporting means bemgradapted for permitting movement of'theloa'd receiving members thereon.

8. A transfer a "ratus 40:13 the class described, comprising plurality 'of spaced N beams, me ans, for moving'theibeams flendivise, means for ra sing jthe "beams Iin'to, engagement With the loadto raise the "latftenfrom its support, v a supporting post associated movement of the/"latter, slots c'u't in' each 'vvith ea'chbeam and raised by the upward" supporting post, a spring-controlled bolt in conjunction with each post for engaging in the slots to retain them in any desired position, a solenoid associated with each bolt for withdrawing the latter from the slots to release the supporting post, and roller means interposed between the posts and beams.

9. A transfer apparatus for shifting loads, comprising a stationary lifting unit over which the load may be positioned, a plurality of spaced beams for receiving the load, a mounting for said spaced beams, means for giving said beams a movement in said mounting to project them over and withdraw them from said stationary lifting unit, means for supporting said load receiving beams when out of engagement with said lifting unit, said supporting means being adapted for permitting the movement of said beams thereon, and means for controlling the operation of the means for moving said load receiving beams.

10. A transfer apparatus of the class described, comprising a pair of laterally spaced beams mounted on roller runways, a rack carried by each beam, a pinion meshing with each rack, electrically controlled means for operating the pinions to move the beams endwise, means for moving the outer ends of the beams in a vertical plane to raise the load from its support, supporting posts associated with the beams for retaining them in their raised positions, and electrically controlled means for releasing the supporting posts.

11. A car shifting apparatus of the class described, comprising a plurality of laterally spaced beams mounted in runways provided with rollers on which the beams may move, racks carried by the beams, pinions meshing with said racks, electrically operated means for driving the pinions to move the beams endwise, jacks located under the car tracks for raising the beams to lift the cars from the trucks, electrically controlled means for operating the jacks, supporting posts associated with the beams and raised by the upward movement of the latter, slots in each supporting post, spring-controlled bolts for engaging in the slots to retain the supporting posts in any position, and solenoids associated with the spring-controlled bolts for withdrawing them from the slots to release the supporting posts.

JOHN JACOB WOLF. 

